Zambia power starts plant overhaul

LUSAKA – Zambian power utility Zesco has started rehabilitating two power stations in the first phase of a US$230 million rehabilitation project designed to produce a big jump in capacity by 2009, a senior official said.

Zesco is spending US$70 million (N$462 million) to overhaul the Kafue Gorge and Kariba North Bank power stations, which generate the bulk of Zambia’s 1 670 megawatts of power used for domestic consumption and exports. Zesco MD Rhodnie Sisala said it would upgrade Kafue Gorge to 720 megawatts from 600 megawatts capacity and increase generation at Kariba North Bank to 990 megawatts from 900 megawatts.Sisala said Zesco’s larger plan to rehabilitate power stations and infrastructure around the country aimed to meet demand that is expected to rise to 2,000 megawatts by 2009 from 1 286 megawatts now.Sisala said Zesco would also spend US$600 million to build a new plant, the Kafue Gorge Lower, with a generation capacity of 750 megawatts.Kafue Gorge Lower will be constructed with financing by Farab International of Iran and will take as much as five years to construct, it said.Energy Minister George Mpombo said in June that the Chinese had shown interest in building the proposed Itezhi-Tezhi power station at a cost of US$120 million.Zambia currently exports power to the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe.-Nampa-ReutersZesco MD Rhodnie Sisala said it would upgrade Kafue Gorge to 720 megawatts from 600 megawatts capacity and increase generation at Kariba North Bank to 990 megawatts from 900 megawatts.Sisala said Zesco’s larger plan to rehabilitate power stations and infrastructure around the country aimed to meet demand that is expected to rise to 2,000 megawatts by 2009 from 1 286 megawatts now.Sisala said Zesco would also spend US$600 million to build a new plant, the Kafue Gorge Lower, with a generation capacity of 750 megawatts.Kafue Gorge Lower will be constructed with financing by Farab International of Iran and will take as much as five years to construct, it said.Energy Minister George Mpombo said in June that the Chinese had shown interest in building the proposed Itezhi-Tezhi power station at a cost of US$120 million.Zambia currently exports power to the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe.-Nampa-Reuters